Multi-state youth education pilot results in 85% of 4-H participants improving their understanding of recycling and intention to help others recycle more, increasing civic engagement and contributing to UC ANR's public value of developing a qualified workforce.

The Issue

The generation of plastics has grown to over 381 million metric tons annually, nearly a 200-fold increase since 1950. Most of the plastic waste is disposed of in landfills (75%). Only 8% of plastic waste is recycled, and much plastic waste ends up in the world's oceans. Detrimental environmental effects from the production and disposal of plastics has been well-documented. While there have been large-scale campaigns...

UC ANR research helps Southern California farmers conserve water by an average of 15% and encourages others to make region-specific crop management and irrigation decisions, contributing to UC ANR's public value of protecting California's natural resources.

The Issue

Water scarcity will become a more significant concern in the Colorado River Basin due to altered weather patterns and multi-year droughts. Knowledge of the evapotranspiration (ET) of crops produced in Southern California will be critical to better managing limited water resources. Accurate information on crop water use and crop coefficient (K_c) is an immediate need for on-farm water conservation...

UC ANR research on drip irrigation shows potential to reduce downy mildew incidence while improving water quality and resource-use efficiency, contributing to increased water-use efficiency and improved food safety. 

The Issue

Spinach is a leafy green quick-maturing, cool-season vegetable crop. Downy mildew on spinach is a widespread and very destructive disease in California. It is the most significant disease in spinach production, causing  crop losses in all areas where spinach is produced. Most conventional and organic spinach fields are irrigated by solid-set or hand-move sprinklers. However, overhead irrigation may contribute to the speed and severity of downy mildew...

The 4-H Latino Initiative achieves positive youth outcomes and advances practices on culturally relevant programming, contributing to UC ANR's public value of developing an inclusive and equitable society. 

The Issue

Over 39% of Californians identify as Hispanic or Latino. Growth estimates project that Latinos will make up half of all Californians by 2060. In the K-12 public school system, more than 54% of students identify as Latino or Hispanic. Yet, until recently, the youth membership of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) 4-H programs did not represent the state's Latino population.

How UC Delivers

In 2015, UC ANR provided $2 million to fund the UC 4-H Latino Initiative, a...